Julia Stiles and Mimi Goese star in "Persephone" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) through Oct. 30.
(Photo Courtesy of Laurie Olinder)

And, yet, when it's time for her to face front and speak - she and her mother, the goddess Demeter, have an exchange - Ms. Stiles' work as the title character seems lackluster, under-motivated. Is she worn out from her role as Lumen, the mysterious newcomer woman on "Dexter" this season?

Not at all. In fact, Ms. Stiles dull disengagement is deliberate. "Persephone," which is a actually a rock/electronic oratorio much of the time, is tricky. It tucks the Greek myth into a vaudeville company's pretentious turn-of -the-century Flora-Dora style adapation.

The principal women of the show, Ms. Stiles and actress/vocalist Mimi Goese (who plays Demeter) aren't happy with the production or with its director Jules (who doubles as Zeus), a coked-up dirtball who uses the company as his harem.

Unfortunately the book (by Warren Leight) doesn't take advantage of its own plot, which has promising tangents, like the backstory of Nicholas. the show's technician, who doubles as Hades, King of Hell. He was once Thomas Edison's assistant.

"Persephone" does better transmitting scenes from the myth, which explains the change of seasons. Spectacularly flickering time-lapse footage depicts the earth in perpetual winter - Demeter's revenge - after her daughter is carried off to hell. Don't ever cross a mama-goddess.

The score (by Ben Neil and Ms. Goese) was recorded but seemed to be sung live the other night. Atonal but appealing, Ms. Goese's singing recalls Bjork. Her choreography recalls nothing anyone's ever seen before.

At the end, it's concessions all around. The almighty King of Hell is forced to acknowledge the power of the women he wronged, even as viewers are forced to concede that only a skilled actress, like Ms. Stiles (who is riveting on "Dexter") can pull off ineptness plausibly.

Like many Next Wave Festival shows, this one is technologically complex, with ingenious lighting (John Ambrosone), films (Bill Morrison) and projections (Laurie Olinder).

A co-production of Virginia Tech and BAM, "Persephone" continues through Saturday. Visit bam.org for details or call 718-636-4111.